Photo Gallery: A patriotic night for NFR at the halfway mark

Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Day five of the 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center on Dec. 6, 2009.

By Robin Leach (contact)

Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 | 12:12 p.m.

2009 National Finals Rodeo: Day Five

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2009 National Finals Rodeo: Day Six

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The halfway mark of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo turned into a patriotic night saluting the red, white and blue. Our contributing photographer Tom Donoghue was on duty arena-side at the Thomas & Mack Center when country singer Lee Greenwood got the fans roaring with “God Bless the USA.”

Two surviving members of the Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor attack were there to salute our Nellis Air Force Base honor guard, and 2-year-old Lila Whitney waved the American flag. Her dad Cody Whitney is one of the bull riders competing in this year’s NFR. All 15 bull-riding contestants were unseated at the end of Round 5, but since the heart of a cowboy is larger than life, they’d better watch out for the remaining rides.

We’ll add Tom’s sixth day of incredible photos later, and he’ll be on duty for the seventh day of competition tonight, and then the final three that will wind up on Saturday with the World Champions Award Ceremony. On Sunday, the World Champions Brunch at the South Point officially ends this 25th anniversary trip to Las Vegas for the cowboys and cowgirls.

They’ll ride outta here Sunday and Monday, and then you’ll notice the quiet and calm of our Strip. It’s our two least busy weeks of the year until New Year’s Eve weekend, and then everything breaks loose and wild again!

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground. Read more of Robin's stories at VegasDeLuxe.com.

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